Camp Barkeley changed the face of Abilene in many ways

World War II soldiers at Camp Barkeley, a World War II Army post southwest of Abilene. Drive around Abilene and reminders of Camp Barkeley are visible everywhere, from repurposed barracks to the camp’s flagpole on North Third Street in front of what was the Clayton M. Leach VFW Post.
photos by Joy Lewis/Reporter-News

Discarded shells used for target practice at Camp Barkeley are preserved at the site, which is now used as a housing area for missionaries to train or rest and recover.

At its peak, Camp Barkeley doubled the size of its host city, Abilene.